James K. Polk Event Timeline

James K. Polk (11) Event Timeline

(03/04/1845 – 03/03/1849)

05/29/1844

Nominated by Democratic Convention. Former President Van Buren was a candidate but failed to receive the 2/3 votes necessary on the first ballot. Polk received no votes until the 8^th ballot; nominated unanimously on the 9^th. The first “dark horse” candidate.

11/12/1844

Election Day (in most states).

12/04/1844

Electors cast votes.

1845

02/12/1845

Electoral vote officially counted in Congress.

03/04/1845

Inaugural Address.

03/28/1845

Mexico broke off diplomatic relations with U.S.

06/15/1845

Directs General Zachary Taylor to take a position “on or near the Rio Grande” (the disputed boundary with Mexico) which Taylor did not follow.

07/04/1845

Congress of Texas votes for annexation to the USA.

09/16/1845

Appointed John Slidell as secret agent to Mexico to attempt to purchase Upper California and New Mexico.

09/1845

Irish “Great Potato Famine,” results in surge of Irish immigration to US.

10/17/1845

Informed that Mexico would receive American "commissioner.

12/02/1845

First Annual Message. States that the Americas are “not to be considered as subjects for colonization by any European powers.” Addresses ongoing negotiation with Britain about Oregon. States that admission of Texas only awaits an act of Congress.

12/09/1845

Sent Special Message to Congress announcing Texas had accepted terms of admission.

12/16/1845

Polk sends to Senate an extradition treaty with Prussia signed on January 29.

12/26/1845

Nominated George W. Woodward as associate justice to Supreme Court; (on 01/22/1846, Woodward became the fourth nominee to be rejected by the Senate).

12/27/1845

Received British request that US offer of 49th parallel as boundary of Oregon be renewed, matter submitted to arbitration.

12/29/1845

Texas admitted as 28th state.

1846

01/13/1846

Categorically orders General Taylor to occupy positions on or near left bank of Rio Grande.

03/24/1846

Special Message making case for an increase in naval or military force, especially with respect to Mexico.

04/13/1846

In Message to Congress, urges division among lands of the Cherokee tribe writing that “experience has proved that they have not yet advanced to such a state of civilization as to dispense with the guardian care and control of the Government of the United States.”

04/21/1846

Informed the cabinet he would recommend that Congress adopt energetic measures against Mexico.

04/25/1846

First Mexican-U.S. military clash. An American reconnaissance party was attacked by a superior Mexican unit. A total of 11 were killed, Five wounded, and the other 47 Americans were captured.

04/27/1846

Signed joint resolution authorizing him to give notice to Great Britain for termination of joint occupation of Oregon.

05/08/1846 -
05/09/1846

US Army, under General Zachary Taylor, win decisive victories over Mexican forces in the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.

05/11/1846

Submitted war message to Congress.

05/13/1846

Proclamation announces that war is declared with Mexico. Related Message to Senate of 06-08-1846.

05/14/1846

Formulated military campaign plan in conference with Secretary of War William Marcy and General Winfield Scott.

05/21/1846

Served notice on Great Britain that joint occupation of Oregon is to be terminated.

06/10/1846

Sent to Senate proposal (not final treaty) from Great Britain for settlement of Oregon boundary.

06/15/1846

Oregon Treaty signed between United States and Britain. Established 49^th parallel as the border; reserved Vancouver Island for Canada.

06/18/1846

Oregon Treaty Ratified in Senate.

07/09/1846

Signed Act retroceding 36 square miles of District of Columbia to Virginia.

07/30/1846

Signed Walker Tariff of 1846 (An Act reducing the Duty on Imports, and for other Purposes.  9 Stat 42).

08/03/1846

Vetoed the Rivers and Harbors Bill, the first of three vetoes.

08/04/1846

Informs Senate of a proposal to open peace negotiations with Mexico.

08/05/1846

In a Special Message, gives notice to Congress that Oregon Treaty ratifications had been exchanged in London 07/17/1846, and calls for organization of a Territorial Government in Oregon. Laws regulating relations with Indian tribes east of the Rocky Mountains should be extended to the Oregon territory. Congressional approval was held up by disagreements about slavery in the territory.

08/08/1846

Vetoed French spoliation claims bill. This was the second of his three vetoes.

09/25/1846

Surrender of Monterey.

12/08/1846

Second State of the Union message to Congress.

12/28/1846

Iowa admitted as 29th state.

1847

02/23/1847

Battle of Buena Vista. Zachary Taylor's victory ended the war in northern Mexico.

03/29/1847

Veracruz occupied.

06/22/1847 -
07/07/1847

Presidential tour. Polk visited states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and New Jersey.

09/08/1847

Battle of Molino del Rey.

09/13/1847

Battle of Chapultepec.

09/14/1847

Mexico City captured.

11/29/1847

Cayuse Indians attack the Whitman Mission near Walla Walla (in Oregon territory) killing 14 settlers. In reaction, a volunteer militia was formed to punish the attackers. Reaction in Washington, D.C. eventually resulted in the August 1848 establishment of the Oregon Territory. (See entries for 5/29/1848 and 8/14/1848).

12/07/1847

Third State of the Union message to Congress.

12/15/1847

Vetoed Wisconsin Territory internal improvements bill. Polk objected that the bill provided funds for internal improvements beyond the Wisconsin Territory. Provides a long history of controversy about internal improvements. Points to “. . .the tendency of power to concentration in the hands of the General Government.” (This was a pocket veto.)

1848

01/12/1848

In a Special Message to the House, refuses to disclose all instructions given to an emissary (Slidell) on grounds that doing so is incompatible “with the public interests.”

01/24/1848

Gold discovered at Sutter’s Mill, CA.

02/19/1848

Received treaty ending war with Mexico, signed 02/02/1848 at Guadalupe Hidalgo, near Mexico City.

02/23/1848

Submitted treaty ending war with Mexico to Senate.

05/18/1848

Wrote J. G. Ramsey asking him to communicate to the Democratic Convention Polk’s continuing determination not to seek reelection.

05/29/1848

Special Message to Congress urging immediate action on Oregon. Polk recounts messages from Oregon that Indians had recently “raised ‘the war whoop and crimsoned their tomahawks in the blood of their citizens;’ that they apprehend that ‘many of the powerful tribes inhabiting the upper valley of the Columbia have formed an alliance for the purpose of carrying on hostilities against their settlements;’ that the number of the white population is far inferior to that of the savages;. . . “ Calls for establishing a Territorial Government.

05/29/1848

Wisconsin admitted as 30th state.

07/04/1848

Proclaimed Mexican treaty in effect.

07/04/1848

Attended laying of cornerstone for Washington Monument.

07/19/1848

Declaration of the Rights of Women at Seneca Falls, NY.

08/14/1848

Signed act establishing the Territory of Oregon, providing a lengthy signing statement (9 Stat 323). Discusses at some length the issue of slavery in the Territories. States that he approved this bill because it was not inconsistent with the Missouri Compromise (i.e., did not apply to area south of the 36° 30’ parallel). The bill included the “Wilmot Proviso” restricting the new territory to the conditions of the 1787 Northwest Ordinance prohibiting slavery in the territories.

12/05/1848

Fourth State of the Union Message to Congress; confirmed discovery of gold in California; triggers Gold Rush.

12/29/1848

Gas lighting used for first time in White House.

1849

03/03/1849

Signed act establishing Territory of Minnesota (9 Stat 195). 

03/03/1849

Signed act creating Department of Interior (9 Stat 395). Also referred to at the time as the “Home Department”. Included: Patent Office, Office of the Census; Military pension Offices, Indian Affairs Office, General Land Office, Office of Mines, Office of Public Buildings.